Smith: Aggressive panhandling vs. helping the poor

I'm one of those "old-fashioned" types who feels if a person needs money he should work for it. Having made that statement, I also feel it's society's responsibility to provide for those facing hard times not of their making.

If a person gets laid-off from their job, for example, we (and that means you and I) have a role in providing assistance to help that person get back on their feet, get another job, and once again become a productive member of the community.

But people who are chronically in need of money and have opted to disenfranchise themselves from society are a different matter.

They are society's cast-offs, the unmentionables. We see some of them at street corners near businesses with cardboard signs saying that they are looking for work, or merely asking for spare change. One guy I've met wanders about parking lots -- primarily on the city's eastern side -- "volunteering" to clean windshields for a buck.

I tried to engage this guy in conversation, but he wasn't interested unless he was paid.

I know others who are "out there" on a daily basis "begging" or "panhandling." Some are nice folks. Some aren't. Some bring their kids. Some make a lot of money.

Those more aggressive panhandlers will now be "prohibited" in Woodland as of Aug. 1. The city is taking action against those who directly go after people coming out of banks, restaurants or other places.

According to Public Safety Chief Dan Bellini, previous regulations did not adequately enable police officers to address aggressive solicitors or deal with hazards that arise of aggressive beggars.

Defining "aggressive solicitation" is difficult. We can support efforts to go after those people who, seemingly, are going after us -- or specifically our money. If we feel threatened, we should also feel we have a way of protecting ourselves. That usually means calling the police.

According to the city's new ordinance: No person shall approach a person in a car for the purpose of begging, including when the vehicle is in a public street, any parking lot or structure and within 15 feet of any vehicular entrance of any parking lot or structure. Furthermore, people are no longer allowed to solicit at any restaurant, both indoor and outdoor seating areas, or within 20 feet of the establishments entrance or exit.

I'm not sure I like turning our backs on those who need help. On the other hand, I want people to seek help, not just a handout. And that raises the question of whether we should assist people who don't want to conform. I don't have an answer to that.